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Salem City murder trial of Corey Moore pits witness testimony against cash in victim's home

Photos of the Day from the South Jersey Times, Jan. 30, 2014

Jury begins deliberation in the trail of Corey Moore, the man accused in the death of Angel Motes of 8th Street in Salem City in 2010. Moore is pictured in this file photo. (Staff Photo by Cindy Hepner/South Jersey Times)

Adam Brent, Moore’s attorney, stressed to the jury that the state had not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that it was Moore who killed Montes.

“None of the witnesses can say that they saw Corey at the scene, that they saw Corey shoot Angel Montes,” he said in his closing argument.

He said that the state did not present any DNA, fingerprint or any other tangible evidence that Moore was at Montes’ home when he was shot. The only testimony that linked Moore to the shooting was given by two witnesses that Brent said “would have been in jail tomorrow if not for their testimony.”

Representing the state was Salem County Assistant Prosecutor Lisa Rastelli. In her closing argument, she said that while the two witnesses received deals for their testimony, if what they said didn’t match up with the other evidence the state had, the deals would not stand.

The state alleges that Moore was trying to rob Montes, and even though he was unsuccessful in getting the $7,000 that police later found in Montes’ home, the fact that the money was there was enough to establish a reason why Moore would kill Montes.

The prosecution also presented call records from a cellphone that they believed belonged to Moore that showed that phone calls were placed to Montes’ phone on the night of the shooting.

The calls were made from Salem City rather than from Penns Grove, where Moore claimed to be the whole night of the shooting, the prosecution said.

After the closing arguments, Superior Court Judge Timothy G. Farrell instructed the jury on how to deliberate the case and consider each charge against Moore. The jury was sent out for lunch and will being deliberation this afternoon.